The Bachelorette alum DeAnna Pappas and her husband Stephen Stagliano have split after 11 years of marriage and two children together.

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"It is with immense sadness, Stephen & I have decided to end our relationship as a couple," DeAnna, 41, wrote in a Thursday statement posted on Instagram and via her Instagram Stories.

"We have been working hard for a long time -- both as a married couple & as individuals & have come to the conclusion to remain separate."

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

DeAnna said she and Stephen will "remain loving parents to our beautiful children, Addison & Austin," adding that they "will continue to raise them together with love & faith."

DeAnna continued, "We ask you to respect our privacy during this difficult time as we navigate the new normal."

The former The Bachelorette star went on to thank her "dear friends and family" for their "endless support."

"[And for] many, many prayers during what has become the most difficult time of our lives," she concluded.

Many members of Bachelor Nation expressed love, support and well wishes for the former couple as they start to navigate life apart from each other.

Season 1 The Bachelorette star wrote, "Love you," and Ashley Rosenbaum commented, "Love you both and here every way possible. Sending love to your family."

Former The Bachelor star Bob Guiney wrote, "Love and support to you and your family."

And Season 11 The Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe commented with two red hearts.

DeAnna and Stephen announced their engagement in August 2010. They got married in October 2011 and welcomed Addison, now 8, in February 2014 followed by Austin, now 6, in March 2016.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)  

DeAnna and Stephen were introduced by Stephen's twin brother Michael Stagliano, who appeared on The Bachelorette's fifth season starring Jillian Harris, and Michael's then-girlfriend Holly Durst, who competed on The Bachelor: London Calling starring Matt Grant and a season of Bachelor Pad. (Holly married The Bachelorette alum Blake Julian in 2012).

DeAnna found fame when she appeared on Brad Womack's season of The Bachelor in 2007. The show's eleventh season concluded with Brad rejecting both of his Final 2 women, DeAnna and Jenni Croft.

DeAnna then handed out roses herself on The Bachelorette's fourth season.

DeAnna's The Bachelorette season in 2008 ended with her getting engaged to Jesse Csincsak, but they broke up less than one year later.

"I'm actually really thankful [Brad changed his mind], you know, I got to go on and be The Bachelorette after that -- all the friends, all the opportunities that I've had, and then ultimately meeting Stephen and my kids," DeAnna said on Us Weekly's "Here for the Right Reasons" podcast in 2020.

"It all clearly was in the plan for me," she added.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.